'Older and Bolder' at Art Central
Celebrating the achievements of older learners, a special
exhibition is being staged at the Art Central (Town Hall, Barry)
from 9 May to 9 June.
In their own words, learners who have attended a range of
courses run by the Vale of Glamorgan Council's adult and community
learning service spell out what they feel they have achieved and
the impact on their lives.
The exhibition, which includes photographs and pieces of
learners' work, will also tour libraries across the area. It is
part of the Older and Bolder Campaign funded by the council in
partnership with the National Institute of Adult and Continuing
Education in Wales, which aims to celebrate the achievements of
older learners.
The Vale adult and community learning service currently provides
courses and activities covering arts and crafts, health and
wellbeing, computers skills, digital photography, languages,
history and literature, music and dance, basic skills and English
for speakers of other languages, Welsh for adults, family learning
and community development. Seventy-one per cent of learners taking
courses in the Vale are over 50, a number that is growing each
year.
There is an enormous range of experiences and a huge variety of
themes illustrated in the exhibition but all the learning has
enhanced peoples' lives For example, Helen describes the way
"learning has given me the confidence to stretch myself with
projects that I would never have attempted alone." Learning about
computers has meant Gail is able to order groceries on line and
chat to friends through email.
For some people more time in retirement has meant they are able
to fulfil lifetime ambitions such as learning Welsh to engage with
their bilingual families.
07/05/2008